Parents Visit (OUAT CaptainSwan)
by MiraculouslyTrashy
Summary: With the arrival of Emma and Killian's child looming, it's going to take the whole family to prepare their home and, most importantly, Emma.


"'Insert parts E through H into slots JJ through MM, tightening using wrench 7c and-'" Killian shakes his head, pushing the instruction pamphlet to the side among the strewn parts of crib surrounding him on the carpeted floor.

He hears Emma's footsteps slowly round the corner from their bedroom. She has a light robe put on over her pajamas as she had just woken up a handful of minutes ago. Emma holds her lower back to counter her nearing-term pregnant belly. Her eyebrows furrow at the sight of him, "What do you think you're doing?"

He puts on a smile, trying to charm his way out of the situation, "I woke before you, Love, and I thought I could surprise you with having the crib built by the time you woke." He looks down at the mess of wooden rods and screws around his feet, "It proved to be a task harder than I anticipated. I'll make us pancakes." He kisses her on the cheek, taking her hand to lead her away from the nursery doorway.

She smirks, "I told you I was gonna put it together later today."

Killian helps her down the stairs, his hand lending extra support in her off-balance state. "I know, but you've been saying you can handle all these tasks, when you really should be resting."

"But the baby will be here any week now-"

"Which is exactly why you should be at ease, Love." He lowers her into a chair in the living room, "David and Mary Margaret offered to come over and help out the other day; I'm going to take them up on that offer. I'll tell them to come over in the afternoon." He kisses her hand before going to the kitchen.

She groans, "I'm pregnant, not helpless. Plus, it seems like everyone's forgotten, I've been through this before with Henry." She says loud enough for him to hear her in the next room.

"Not to be blunt, but that was a quite a while ago. Remind me how old Henry is; will you, Swan?" He teases, having brought up this same counter argument before.

She leans back into the chair with a sigh, "I'd rather not."

A silence falls over the house except for the sizzles emanating from the stovetop. The smell of pancakes wafting through the house, bringing warmth into the space. Emma pushes herself up from the armchair, following her nose to her pirate creating the perfect stack of pancakes. He turns to deliver the pancakes to her but is surprised to see her already sitting at the kitchen table. "Would it kill you to stay in one place for five minutes, Love?" He sighs, kissing the top of her head and setting the pancakes in front of her, "Oh what am I going to do with you..." he forgives her with a groan before sitting across from her.

She chuckles a little at his mutterings, "Love you too" she coos before putting a forkful into her mouth.

Around 2pm there's a knock at the door. Killian rises to get it, greeting David and Mary Margaret. "Thanks for coming by, mates" he says quietly.

David smiles, "No problem. How's Emma doing?" He asks in a hushed tone.

He raises his eyebrows, "More restless than usual, it seems." He lets them into the house.

"You and David go work on the crib," Mary Margaret instructs, "I'll help Emma out."

The men split off, heading upstairs to wrestle with the crib assembly, while Mary Margaret walks into the living room to find Emma on the floor working on assembling a highchair. "Emma-?" She announces herself, breaking Emma's concentration.

"Oh! Mom, I didn't hear you come in. Is dad here too?" She asks before turning back to her task.

Mary Margaret gets down next to her, placing her hand on Emma's to pull her attention back. "Yeah, he and Killian went upstairs to work on the crib. Kilian did mention that you've been keeping yourself busy lately." She comments, trying to guide Emma over to the couch.

She follows her lead, not bothering to protest her mom. "Yeah, just trying to get things ready for when junior arrives." She absentmindedly caresses her belly.

"You should have called sooner if you're feeling overwhelmed. You did so much for us with Neal, we would gladly help out even more so." She squeezes her daughters hand reassuringly.

"I know." Emma nods, "But I feel capable still? No offence, I love when you visit, but I can prepare for my own baby on my own." She shrugs, "I can do it." She scoots back off the couch to the floor of high-chair parts.

Mary Margaret sighs before joining her on the floor. She allows for a beat of silence before asking in almost a whisper, "Is this because you never got to do any of this for Henry?"

She freezes for a breath before continuing the assembly, "No. I-I just like to keep busy. I've been on maternity leave for week now, I may as well be using it." She reaches out for the screwdriver across the floor, realizing it's a bit out of her range of motion. Mary Margaret picks it up and hands it to her. Emma gives a half-hearted smile, "Thanks."

"Are you sure it's not because you missed all this with Henry?" Emma gives a sidelong glance at her mother, continuing to screw in a part. Mary Margaret continues, "You said that 'you can do it', but what about Killian? What are you trying to prove?"

"I don't know, that if I didn't give up Henry I could have been a single mom? That I could have handled raising a baby on my own? To prove that if I could do it all over, I could have kept Henry against my best judgement at the time and I could have raised him right all on my own?" She cracks; she takes a shaky breath, putting down the chair parts, hiding her face in her hands.

Mary Margaret wraps her in a hug, "Shh, I know you don't mean that. It's the hormones talking." She rubs her back slowly, "Just like how I wish I could go back to keep you, but I understand that things had to happen a certain way to ensure you became the Savior."

Emma nods against her mom's shoulder, "I know, but I do feel like what I said is partly true. I'm trying to prove myself to myself." She lets out a deep sigh, "I didn't even realize until now."

Mary Margaret chuckles to herself, "That's pregnancy for ya. Can bring out the best and worst in you." She pulls back from their hug a bit to look at her daughter, "Think maybe you can take a step back from working so hard and let us take it from here? You're already doing the hard work of growing a baby inside you." She holds Emma's hand against her belly, feeling a kick. They smile in unison.

"You're right. I'll start taking it easy. But first I need to talk to Killian."

Mary Margaret helps Emma into a standing position before turning back to the high-chair.

Emma waddles to the base of the staircase in the front of the house. "Killian?" She calls upstairs loud enough to make sure he heard her.

He comes bounding down the stairs in a flash, "What?! Is it time?" He looks over her worriedly.  
She holds a hand to his cheek, "I'm not giving birth yet, calm down."

His demeanor immediately relaxes, "Oh, well you should have prompted with that, Love."  
They sway there for a second; her hands resting on his shoulders, his on her hips.

"I just wanted to apologize for not being the best listener lately." She admits, smiling guiltily.

"I expected that much from you, Swan; Never one to give up the good fight." He forgives easily.

She shakes her head, "No, I wasn't being fair to you. I should trust you enough to have equal say in how I handle our child."

He shrugs, "How can I argue against what you believe your own body can handle? That's not a fight I'd willingly pick. You know what's best."

She smirks, "Well Mary Margaret has convinced me to go easy on myself from now on.

He lets out a sigh of relief, "Remind me to thank her." She gives him a look. "What changed your mind, Love?"

"Just realizing I was internalizing my past, when I should be in the present with you and our child."

"I'm glad you found your way back." He kisses her once on the lips and once on her belly before helping her upstairs to relax in their bedroom. 


End file.
